Electro-surgical forceps have a pair of resilient blades or arms that are used for grasping and coagulating tissue. The forceps may be monopolar or bipolar. In monopolar forceps, the blades are welded or otherwise joined to form an electrode in electrical communication with an electrical generator. Current flows from the active electrode through the patient's tissue to a dispersive electrode in contact with the patient's skin (which may be at some distance from the forceps) and back to the generator. In bipolar forceps, each blade of the pair comprises an electrode in communication with an electrical generator. Current flows from one blade through the tissue to the other blade.
In some instances, tissue may adhere or stick to the tips of the blades. If sticking occurs, the surgeon must pull on the forceps to release it from the tissue, possibly causing further bleeding and requiring that the forceps be cleaned. It is known to prevent or minimize such sticking of tissue to electro-surgical forceps by manufacturing the blades of the forceps from nickel. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,009. Other materials, such as silver or silver alloys, have also been used to dissipate heat and minimize or prevent sticking. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,518 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,610.